LANSING – Former Michigan governor and interim Michigan State University President John Engler says Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office is investigating MSU's handling of sex assault cases, can no longer tout Engler's endorsement in Schuette's own gubernatorial bid.

Engler took the helm of the university on Monday amid multiple investigations — including one by a special prosecutor appointed by Schuette — into how MSU officials handled decades-old allegations that former MSU physician Larry Nassar sexually assaulted university patients, athletes and others. In recent weeks, Nassar was sentenced to decades in prison for sex assaults.

"Given the ongoing investigations by the Michigan Legislature, the Congress, the NCAA, the U.S. Department of Education and the Independent Prosecutor into Michigan State's failure to deal with Larry Nassar's sexual assaults over a twenty-year period, the campaign has removed the name of the MSU President from all materials," Bush said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

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This 1992 LSJ file photo, Bill Schuette, far right, celebrates a George H.W. Bush primary campaign victory with then-Gov. John Engler, at the podium. At the time, Schuette ran Engler's agriculture department. He's now investigating Michigan State University, where Engler is interim president.(Photo: LSJ file photo)

Engler's endorsement of Schuette, which was announced in September, was one of many issues raised by MSU students and faculty and some of Nassar's victims who opposed the former governor's hire.

Schuette also worked for Engler while Engler was governor and both men, plus Forsyth, have connections to major MSU donor Peter Secchia.

Both Engler and Schuette have denied any conflict in the investigation. Earlier this week, Engler criticized Schuette for a surprise search of the university's administration building on Friday and because media were present when special agents from the Attorney General's Office arrived.